The Ultimate Plot
by Phoenix Oblivion
Summary: When all of Batman's greatest foes become allies in a joint effort to destroy Batman and Gotham once for all, can The Dark Knight defeat the city's greatest foes before it's too late?


**Author's Note: Hi guys; this is my first Batman fanfiction, and really I'm only writing it because I suddenly became obsessed with The Joker after seeing Heath Ledger play him in the Dark Knight. Anyways, the prologue will take place from the POV of Penguin, and will take place in The Iceberg Lounge (the nightclub where he organises all his crimes in for those who don't know). It's basically just a meeting of all of Batman's worst adversaries who are creating an "ultimate plot" as they would say, to destroy the Batman once and for all, because they've realised that crime in Gotham simply won't thrive while he's protecting the citizens.**

**So yeah, please enjoy, and post a review if you like it!**

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**Penguin's POV:**

Inside the Iceberg Lounge, music blared loudly from huge amplified secured to the ceiling; it annoyed Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. Holding a comb, he slicked his hair back and admired his bird like appearance in a mirror hung up on the wall. He had to squint forward to see because the only source that illuminated the place where the multicoloured lights that dashed across the floor and ceiling. There was the familiar curved and crooked nose, followed by the plump belly, huge top hat, glass monocle covering his left eye and finally the expensive purple umbrella, one of many that he kept in _large_ case in his manor house. He smiled at himself (Oswald was very satisfied with the reflection he saw in the mirror), and then he turned around and walked stiffly through the crowds of dancing people. He would have to look his best for the meeting that was about to take place.

He pulled himself up onto a large seat by the bar and tapped the wooden surface with the handle of his umbrella. 'You!' He snapped to the barman. 'Get over here and give me a glass of champagne: make sure it's French!'

A middle aged man with a moustache turned his head, clearly about to reply with a sharp retort, but when he noticed Oswald (the owner of the Iceberg Lounge) he instantly closed his mouth. 'Yes boss.' He stammered. 'Right away!'

'With lemon and ice.' Oswald added impatiently. The man got to work straight away, but it had only been less than ten seconds before Oswald told him to work faster, and if he didn't have a glass in his hand in the next five seconds he would cut his wages.

This motivated him to move a lot faster than he would have usually- he wasn't payed that much anyway.

'There we are sir,' the barman said, placing a circular glass filled to the brim with the alcoholic drink in front of his employer. 'French champagne, and it's probably the best quality we have in the entire place.'

'Good," Oswald grunted, taking a sip. 'I would have fired you if it wasn't. I'm a man of extensive taste.' The man put the glass back on the table, and then abruptly asked a question that the barman hadn't been expecting. 'Do you think that the Joker is a raving lunatic?'

The barman blinked in surprise; then he raised his eye brow in confusion. 'The Joker? Why would you be interested in him?'

Oswald raised his right index finger and pushed his monocle closer to his eye. 'Look here, you twit,' he growled. 'Don't question me. I asked a simple question, and I order you to answer it! Do you think that the Joker is a raving lunatic?'

'Ye- ye- yes sir!' He stammered. The man coughed before trying again. 'Um, of course he is! Everything about him is completely insane. He's a psychopath who murders for the fun of terrifying others.'

Oswald nodded, and then muttered something under his breath that he only just caught. 'Most crime lords in this damned place are.' There were a few seconds of uneasy silence, before Oswald pushed his chair back and stood up. 'Don't expect to be payed.' He said. That was the last thing he said to the barman before turning around and waddling back into the masses of people. Oswald bumped into several people because he was deep in thought. _I hope this meeting goes according to plan, _he thought, _some of these people are extremely dangerous… like the Joker, for instance. Of course, I have another power as one of this cities leading criminals to organise a terrorist attack on my own, but perhaps, even the best of criminals, sometimes need to be assisted. _He shook his head and snarled at himself. _Idiot: why did you ask that fool over a the bar what he thought about the Joker? _He already knew the answer. _Though I'll be in charge of the operation, people like him and Two Face won't enjoy taking orders from me. They might not even accept my request. After all, I, The Penguin, is not in charge of everyone._

Soon, the Penguin reached a stairway near the corner of The Iceberg Lounge that was covered in dust and grit. No one ever went up there; that was why it was the perfect place to hide all of his more private negotiations. He climbed up the stairs and reached a corridor that lead to a single room. It had the word "Office" painted on it in big, black letters. A bodyguard stood by the door. 'Password?' He asked.

'Beak.' The Penguin replied quietly. The security guard nodded. 'Is everyone I invited in there?" He stated.

The other man nodded once more. 'All except one.'

The Penguin tapped his umbrella on the metal floor; there was a small click. Unknown to others unless they had experienced it first hand (The Penguin smirked at this thought), inside his umbrella was actually a small rifle that could be activated by pressing a button on the purple handle.

'Open the door then,' the crime lord said finally. The guard dipped his head and pushed it open-

Sitting around an oval shaped table in front of him were four people who looked as if they'd just dressed themselves up for halloween. Any man or woman who hadn't lived in Gotham for a number of years would never have guessed that these people were some of he most notorious and most wanted people in the whole of the city. The first was a man dressed in a green suit with a bowler hat exactly the same colour. All of his clothes were covered in black question marks; perhaps the most distinctive of his features though, was a yellow staff he held in his hand which was also in the shape of a question mark. Throughout Gotham, he was known as The Riddler, a devious man who enjoyed leaving clues at the scenes of his crimes for the police and Batman to follow.

The second was another male. Penguin found him cringing when he saw his facial appearance. His full name, as everyone knew, was Harvey Dent: he had once been a successful lawyer who had devoted his life to protecting his home, but when a drug dealer (Sal Maroni) had tossed acid into one side of his face, he had been transformed into the same thing he had been trying to destroy… a criminal. The gas had left the right of his face bloodied, red and disfigured, giving him the nickname Two Face, but this had also enhanced the darker side of his personality. Every time he desired to make a decision, both parts of his mind wanted to do the opposite- so he became totally dependent on a two headed coin to make his choices. One of the heads was covered in ash, representing his injured side. Ever since the accident, he became known as one of the most notorious people in Gotham.

The next was a girl around the age of twenty seven. She was wearing very little except for some almost plant-like green clothes; her name was Poison Ivy. Once she had been involved in an experiment with plant life at her old university. It had gone horribly wrong, and ultimately gave her the ability to control venomous flowers and other growing things. She could produce large vines from her bare hands to ensnare her opponents in mid-fight, but she was most famous her for kiss of death. The lipstick she used was full of fatal poison, and if she kissed you it infected your bloodstream in less than seconds, killing you in a matter of minutes.

The last also disturbed The Penguin… after, he didn't call himself the master of fear for nothing. He dressed himself like a dummy you found in fields- giving him the name Scarecrow- and all the aspects of his costume were deliberately designed to frighten you. Penguin knew very little about his origins, but he did know that he once been a scientist specialising in the study of natural phobias. In his studies, he had developed a gas that instantly enhanced any fear that you possessed; he fixed them into his gloves, giving him the ability to produce it from his finger tips. It useful for paralysing his opponents in battle.

The Penguin then realised which one of "guests" had not arrived yet. _The Joker. _It was fine with him. _We might actually be able to concentrate without having him burst into a fit of laughter at every pathetic joke he pulls. I can't believe Harley Quinn actually fell in love with him at Arkham Asylum!_

He walked down and sat the head of the of the criminals were eyeing each other warily, clearly not trusting each other. Well- almost everyone. Two Face and the Riddler where chatting away like they were old friends- from what The Penguin knew, they often worked together on devising plans to destroy the Batman. He clapped his hands together and raised his nose. 'My fellow crime lords!' Every eye turned to him. 'I'm sure you're all wondering why I summoned you here tonight-"

Two Face scowled and flipped his coin into the air nonchalantly. 'Obviously.'

Penguin glared at him for a few seconds before continuing, 'I've summoned you here for one reason in particular. We are all exceptional criminals, and all of our plots are capable of inflicting terror int the hearts of even the most brave of men. For instance, Scarecrow.' He faced the first criminal, who returned the stare without replying. 'Your recent plot to explode a gas bomb to paralyse the whole city in fear was ingenious-'

'Please please please please,' The Riddler echoed, grinning. He twirled his staff. 'Don't bother flattering us: we already know how stunning we are. Cut to the chase.'

The Penguin decided to do just this. 'I know why all of your plans have failed. I know why not one of us has been able to kill more than ten people at once…' his voice became considerably quieter, 'the-'

'Batman!'

Everyone turned their heads in surprise as the door to the meeting room swung open. The Penguin's bodyguard was standing unusually still… that was when he realised what had happened to him. He was dead. The man dropped to the floor to reveal another man whose face was covered in white make up and a smudged red smile. He grinned and then howled with insane laughter. In his hand he held a gun with a harpoon inside; attached to it was a flag that read one word. BANG!

It was the Joker.

Poison Ivy rolled her eyes. 'You always have to make an entrance, don't you?'

This was followed by another burst of laughter. 'Ha!' He grinned. 'I prefer to say that I enter with-' he gestured towards his bloodied harpoon, 'a bang!'

Everyone rolled their eyes at this. The Joker laughed and skipped over to the table, where he selected a seat next to Two Face. He edged his chair as close to the Riddler was possible. 'Typical Penguin,' The Joker tutted, 'no sense of humour. Now!' He placed his hands upon the table. 'Back to business...'


End file.
